Abstract: An immersion nozzle is employed for discharging material from a vessel to a mold and includes an upper section to be connected to the vessel and a lower section having a region to be immersed in material in the mold. The upper and lower sections have extending therethrough respective discharge channels that communicate and that enable material to be discharged from the vessel to the mold. The discharge channel of the upper section converges downwardly in a first vertical plane to join the discharge channel of the lower section. The discharge channel of the upper section also expands downwardly in a second vertical plane transverse to the first vertical plane to join the discharge channel of the lower section. Each of the upper and lower sections is formed by at least one respective separate member. The members have adjacent ends having mutually facing and fitting surfaces, and each pair of facing and fitting end surfaces has therebetween a seal.

Abstract: An apparatus for disintegrating a fiber agglomerate has a feed tank for receiving and holding a batch of a fiber agglomerate. A turbulence chamber is connected to the feed tank for receiving a subquantity of the batch of fiber agglomerate and disintegrating the fiber agglomerate into separate fibers with air turbulence. A screening chamber is connected to the turbulence chamber for receiving the subquantity of the batch of fiber agglomerate and screening out separate fibers from shot particles and remaining fibers. The residual fibers and shot particles are fed back to the feed tank for reprocessing to obtain the maximum output of cleaned, separated fibers.

Abstract: A member formed of ceramic refractory material has therein an opening. A metal coupling member for attaching a metal member such as a rod or a tube, to the refractory member has an externally threaded portion extending into the opening in the refractory member. The coupling member has a head extending radially outwardly beyond the threads of the threaded portion and embedded in the refractory member. The opening in the refractory member may be internally threaded to receive the threads of the threaded portion of the coupling member.